Denis Mallet Mallet থেকে Bheora, Punjab, India
Summer reading... really good.. a bit confusing... but i loved the storyline.. parts are emotional and some happy, sad, funny, and some just cute! lovvvveeee
Doctorow never lets me down. Fascinating read as all of his books are.
At first I wasn't sure if I'd even finish this book. A lapsed Orthodox Jew who graduated from Harvard isn't amounting to much in the career department. He stumbles into a job as a prison librarian. (Come on man, what is the story here?) While the book has no grand story arc, it does have a ring of truth with Steinberg eventually sharing interesting insights into human nature with some twists I'd never considered. Steinberg weaves in and out of story lines for a number of inmates but one of the most interesting sections is not a "what happened" story. The author shares his insights on Hasid Jews and gangsta street gangs. He was surprised to find that many of the inmates viewed the Hasidim as "the epitome of gangsta...... who embodied the ideals of thug life." From discussions with his library patrons Steinberg comes to believe that gangs are striving to become true tribes. Gang members admire the Hasidim for that tribal identity, including their distinctive clothing, shared history, and incredible loyalty to the group ahead of any outside interest.